The four-man, eight-woman jury deliberated about an hour after hearing closing arguments by defense attorney Jacob Blizzard and District Attorney James Hicks.

"Mr. Cate is definitely sad about (his daughter's death)," Blizzard said in an interview following the verdict. "In my visits with him, he goes out and visits her grave once a week. He didn't like that that occurred, didn't like to be a part of that and hates that he was even accused."

Hicks declined comment after the verdict.

Before the verdict, Blizzard told jurors the case boils down to what Cate said in interviews with police versus what the physical evidence “and every other witness and every other person say(s).”

Cate’s story changes when talking to police, Blizzard argued, from whether he was physically present to the physical location of the child to whether he saw a baby at all.

“Damian is his own enemy because of his own disability," Blizzard said, arguing that while there was “no evidence that says that Damian did anything,” he was “convinced to say otherwise.”